Teaching the social lives of climate change

What’s on offer?

This 3hr online workshop will be a forum for educators and young people to exchange knowledge and ideas about teaching climate change, informed by social science research and teaching experience. At a time when heightened attention is being drawn to impacts of climate change, possibilities for mitigation/adaptation, and the emotional implications of confronting these, educators in a range of settings encounter obstacles and opportunities in broaching these topics with students. Discussions around presentations (including e.g. multimedia/artistic approaches) will explore challenges and successes in research-led teaching in the social sciences. How can climate change be understood as embedded in social, political and cultural relationships? How can learning about how people in diverse historical and geographical settings encounter and respond to environmental change stimulate new ways of thinking about possible futures? We invite contributions from teachers in secondary, further, and community education in the spirit of sharing ideas and practices across settings.

What’s it about?

The workshop will facilitate multi-directional conversations about pedagogical strategies for teaching and learning about climate change: a subject that raises many questions about connections and disconnections among research, teaching, emotion, activism, justice, and practice. Participants will learn about diverse ways of knowing and responding to climate change within and beyond the classroom, and in a range of social and cultural contexts. The aim is to raise awareness and share good practices that will equip educators in various settings with new ideas to broach this timely and often-challenging topic, particularly with respect to its social implications.

Who’s leading the event?

Sophie Haines, Lecturer in Anthropology in Development, University of Edinburgh.

Open to

Young people, Professionals.

Of particular interest to

of particular interest to secondary / FE teachers and commnity educators, and young people aged 16-24 interested in climate change learning.